Practice, Practice and Then Practice Some More

Like many things in life - when we first try something new we aren't always immediately good at it. However, it is important to remember that with each attempt if we make a mistake or experience failure, there will be lessons to be learnt. With every experience or attempt comes a new skill, and with each experiement or trial comes the discovery of a technique that does (sometimes doesn't) work for you.

They key to your success is not to be discouraged if things don't work for you straight away...

Misery Likes Company? Not Always...

The old saying may be that misery likes company, or that depressed people like to bring other people down with them, but this isn't always the case. Sometimes when people are feeling down, they have friends and relatives around them who want to see if they can do something to help lift the flagging spirits of the person they're concerned about. The problem with this is that sometimes those who are closest to us aren't really the best to us out of our low 'funk.' At times like this if they are only able to provide empathy and no concrete means of rectifying any difficulties you are experiencing this can then develop in them the feeling of being a let-down to you, which in turn spreads the woe!

At times like this, it's important for you to recognise if you do just need a hug, or a few quick words of encouragement, or whether the problem is a more serious one which needs the help of a trained professional or support group from which you can gain more structured support.

It could also be that you simply need time out to reflect in solitude in order to centre yourself and move on with a clearer mindset. If this is the case, kindly advise those around you that you are not shutting them out, and simply need the time to resolve your issues without pulling them into the situation also.

Explained from a place of honesty, if they truly have your well-being at heart they will understand and give you the space you need to return in a better state of being.

Cover It With Ketchup

"Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it."
- Apples of Gold

Now this reminds me of a situation experienced whilst growing up with my sister. She was always such a fussy eater, that no matter what our mother cooked, she would always smother it with ketchup to make it more "pallatable" for her. Even SOUP would have the condiment added to it! I was like.... What?!

Anyway, one day I asked her why she wouldn't just try it without the ketchup, to which she simply answered that it made it far easier for her to simply get on with eating the food. Well you can't argue with that right?

Rather than trying to force ourselves to go through situations the hard way, sometimes it may be easier to do what you can to make the that bit easier to handle... That is something which has stuck with me since we were children, and we still often refer to "cover it with ketchup" when we have a situation that we have to deal with that we're not particularly happy to handle... and it helps :o)